Review: As you can tell from the title of this ongoing series, System Error likes to serve up only 100% party bombs. The third volume lives up to that once more with Parchi Pubblici kicking off with the acid-laced bumps of 'Perfect Vacuum2Disco' complete with zippy synths and snappy percussion. Lanzieri's 'Twisted Tango' hits just as hard with an electro-techno fusion that rides on psychedelic synth loops with jacked-up drums. Raku's 'Valle Dei Templi' has a more pared-back sound with a menacing and rubbery low end and creeping synths that keep you on edge. Phill Prince's 'Indigo' shuts down with something tripped out and retro with 90s techno vibes colouring the drums.
Review: With Pattern Gardening, London-after-Leeds imprint Wisdom Teeth yank out an extra gnasher we didn't know we had. As has always been the case, label heads Facta and K-Lone could be said to have curated and curetted a new compilation from the joint dentist's chair, exacting a 22-track root canal with periodontal precision, nearly doubling the size of their V/A ambit since 2024's Club Moss. But on this selective six-track sampler for wax, we've only a further sanding down of a much larger minimal, micro and tech house selection; here's gummy textures and maxillary moods by Polygonia, rRoxymore, Lurka, Sub Basics, and newcomer Jichael Mackson. Clarity and sound design are top priorities, as is the ideal of whitened teeth flashed by the poolside. Snappy, Rhodesy, watery.
Review: The enigmatic r.hitect returns with the seventh release on his eponymous imprint, presenting more advanced, future facing minimal techno on the Common Souls EP. Feel the basic trance induction of the sublime title track on side A, followed by the hypnotic and bass-driven 'Isometrics' which is perfect tackle for the afterhours. Over on the flip, it's all about the dub techno-infused rolling drama of 'Sees' which nails that perfect 'Rominimal' sound aimed squarely at the main room dancefloor. Tip!
Radical Chic - "In Da Shadows" (Terry Francis remix) (7:31)
Space Bunny - "The Key" (Wax Trax remix) (6:37)
Review: Gems, a new label with a nose for unearthing dusty relics of the UK tech-house scene, kicks off with a double shot of pure 90s dynamite. Label boss Paul Still, Croydon luminary and veteran crate-digger, has dusted off these two bangers, ready to reignite dancefloors. First up, Terry Francis unleashes a remix of Radical Chic's 'In Da Shadows' that'll have you reaching for the lasers and sweating buckets. This ain't no polite shuffle - it's a full-on assault of pulsating basslines, swirling synths and big energy. Francis, a master of his craft, layers textures and effects like a sonic sorcerer, conjuring a tapestry of sound that's both intricate and exhilarating. Flip the wax and Space Bunny's 'The Key' unlocks a different kind of chaos. This infectious groove, built on chunky drums and a hypnotic bassline, is pure, unadulterated dancefloor hedonism. But it's the vocal snippets and playful synth stabs that truly elevate it to legendary status. The Wax Trax remix adds a contemporary twist, injecting a fresh dose of energy while retaining the original's undeniable swagger. If you're craving the authentic sounds of early tech-house, Gems is your new dealer. These aren't just reissues; they're sonic time capsules, transporting you back to a time when the dancefloor was a sweaty, euphoric escape from reality.
Review: Rakija's back on the Rakija label with another EP called Rakija, but thankfully the music on it is not as homogenised as the naming conventions (although the titles are.) Track 1 is a turbocharged tech house cut that is rave ready. Track 2 is edgy thanks to some punchy vocal bars and more driving drum programming. Things are rather dialled back in for Track 3 which lays down sleek drums and bass that worming their way into your being in no time. Track 4 then shuts down with some high speed and bumping tech house funk thanks to a restless bassline and snappy finger clicks.
Review: Kulture Galerie is back with more wax and the third time proves a charm here with Doc Sleep, Rambal Cochet, The Jaffa Kid, Mesmerist, Jack Bags and Undsidedly all coming correct under the stewardship of label head Filippo MSM of Metropolitan Soul Museum. Cochet kicks off with some trance-infused prog techno, Doc Sleep offers jacked-up and analogue house, there is lithe cosmic tech from The Jaffa Kid and twisted machine sounds from Jack Bags, while Undsidedly's dreamy electro and The Mesmerist's peak time synth techno close down in style.
Review: The debut release from Cairo-based producer Ramez, 'Disco Shit', segues through the quirkier shades of house to the darker ones, conveying a hard, driving and janky take on house music from an underrepresented perspective. Playful and no-fuss titles such as 'All Night Long' and 'Spacecraft Groupies' lend funny credo to the four functional floor-flaunters, while closer '2003' opts for otherworldly nostalgia, harking back to a two-decades-past year - and packing the memory with UFO risers and alien soundzones to boot.
Review: Keinemusik co-founder Gregor Suetterlin aka Rampa returns this week with his latest effort titled 'Les Gout'. The Berliner collaborates with Choula for a sun-kissed and life affirming Afro house indebted cut that reaches near spiritual moments. The DBN Gogo & Felo Le Tee remix on the flip is a more downbeat affair with more space in the mix, altogether making for a truly meditative experience.
Review: We loved the first PUP release so are super hyped to get this second one. It's a fine various artists' collection that explores an array of tech, acid and minimal sounds. Rat Bastard opens up and doesn't muck about with a fast-paced groove and slick electronic bass. Deezy layers in some trippy acid and lively breakbeats on 'Earnin' Bumps.' On the flipside, 'Prima' brings some fresh UK funky drum patterns and wooden hits to the light-footed tune by FRND and more Uk styles are tapped into on Mr Bizmuth's bass-driven, bulky 'Charmed, Sworn, Severed, Torn.' Woof wood, we dig!
Review: While his productions have graced many fine labels - Die Orakel, Pampa, Mule Musiq and Giegling included - Christopher Rau has been integral part of the Smallville Records family since 2009. High quality deep house is the order of the day throughout Abspace, his first EP for the label since 2020, with the yearning, slow-build positivity of the gorgeous title track being followed by the immersive, sci-fi bliss of 'Set It Off', whose melancholic chords add a bittersweet touch to an otherwise loved-up affair. Over on side B, 'Do It' sees him successfully doff a catch the classic Mr Fingers productions (with a touch of Move D on the side), while 'One More Time' is a melodious, riff-heavy affair that's as saucer eyed as they come.
Review: Ray Mono started out as a resident in Leeds at the cult mono_cult party and has since gone on to emerge as a top talent in the studio. He has a fresh blend of minimal, house and tech that has taken him to labels like Moxy Music but now it is that OG home of mono_cult that welcomes him for a first release on the new label. True to form this is silky and irresistible tech with liquid grooves and smart samples, seductive synth lines and plenty of emotion as well as dancefloor clout. Mihai Pol and Sota remixes completely Ray's standout originals to make for a fine first outing from this label.
Review: Ray Mono, who first came onto the scene as a resident at well regarded Leeds party Mono_Cult more than a decade ago, is now helming the label of the same name. After a notable first outing, he is quickly back with another of his supple and subtle minimal workouts. 'Synchronicity' is a brilliantly warm and bubbly opener with balmy pads and sci-fi signifiers, while 'Awakenings' picks up the pace for a more driving and late-night tech house vibe that oozes drum funk. 'Synchronicity' then comes as a Nu Zau remix with more chattery percussion and textured bass rumbles, and Sepp's remix of 'Awakenings' is deep, bumping minimal house. A super fresh EP once more.
Review: Founded in Lithuania in 2021, Rayonas is both an artist and a record label dedicated to underground music. Rayonas 007 comes as a limited edition blue via and features an opening cut that reworks spoken words from the great Moodymann. The beat is full of infectious skip and warm chords while 'Lofi Voice' has a more summery and upbeat feel and fresh kicks. 'Boffie Break' is a kinetic cut with tight drum programming and some nice smeared pads for late-night vibes. 'Its' shuts down with some more spaced-out grooves and cerebral pad work for those 5 am sessions. A great EP with nice variation in the grooves.
Review: Rayonas is both an artist and a record label founded in 2021 that has dealt in some smart underground house sounds. This new one from the imprint begins a sub-series called Speedy House that is about, well, speedy. 'Things As They Are' pairs pensive ambient piano and a recognisable melodic motif with thumping and driving drums. It works well, frankly. 'Liquid' is another chunky, pacey house thumper with 'Labas Rytas ' then veering more into uptempo, funky techno that never quits. 'Laser Tag' has a loopy, underlapping bassline and gloppy pads and 'Dreaming' shuts down with a richer array of non-melodic colours for peak time trips.
Review: RBCHMBRS pushes his MPC - if that is the tool he used for this - to the max with a heavy mix of ramshackle loops, samples, busted drums and wonky rhythms on this great new EP for 1432 R US. It is steeped in hip-hop style for the way the grooves are so loosely assembled, but with a more rooted four-four house vibe. 'OD' is a deep and dusty opener for the back room, 'Eloise' brings hi tek funk and intense soul with Motor City overtones and 'Toe The Line' is a humid deep house cut that Theo Parrish or Moodymann might admire. 'Take Me' rounds out with twanging bass riffs and smeared chords that ooze heartfelt warmth.
Review: With both his experimental yehyeh and dancefloor focused ninih labels, founder Pieter Janson prefers to space out releases. This quality over quantity approach has thus far paid dividends, with the slim catalogues of both labels simply bursting with quality. Remarkably, this outing from sometime Kalahari Oyster Cult contributor RDS is only the sixth ninih EP in total. Predictably, it's superb, with the Amsterdam-based producer flitting between moody and ghostly breaks ('Bfc01'), lightly bleep-inflienced tech-house purism ('Vnecktechtheme'), heavily psychedelic late night intoxication (the alien-sounding chords, immersive pads and hallucinatory electronics of 'Tpssty'), and deep, spaced-out, hip-hop tempo electro ('Bfc04'). By jove, Janson's done it again!
Review: RDS's latest collaboration with Polychrome brings us a collection of atmospheric and emotive techno creations. The A-side kicks off with 'Laak,' a deep and driving track inspired by RDS's recent DJ set in Den Haag, with its resonant reese-bass forming the track's core. The two producers decided to dedicate the entire A-side to this cut, paying homage to the classic 45-side format. The B-side delves into more introspective territory, with 'Underwater (Dream Mix)' featuring ethereal pads and trancy melodies, before 'Reassociate' caps things off, a nod to early 2000s IDM with its intricate rhythms and nostalgic vibe.
Review: RDS's latest for Jamming Is Life captures the essence of imperfection with raw, vintage machinery. The EP opens with 'Creek,' a deep acid-driven track that teases and builds, offering a mesmerizing, hypnotic rhythm. It's an immediate dancefloor mover, full of controlled chaos and shifting tension. Next, 'Chronicles' pulls us into darker, more mysterious territory. With tech-heavy beats and a tight, swirling atmosphere, it walks the line between groove and unpredictability. The driving rhythm never quite reveals its destination, keeping things fresh and engaging. On the B-side, 'Slappy Whappy Dub' stands out with its tribal, proggy undertones. The track builds slowly, adding layers of tension with each beat. Finally, 'Synergy-Lo' rounds things off with a subtle, trancy techno cut, bringing a satisfying, smooth close to a release built on unpredictability and rhythmic mastery.
Review: Bassex Records emerged as a niche haven for electronica enthusiasts in the mid-90s, championing and, more importantly, blending genres like trance, breaks, acid and techno, the label's initial influence remained confined to the West Coast. However, as trancey breakbeats gained traction in Europe over the past 15 years, Bassex has ascended to cult status. Rebirth was label owner Mike Knapp and DJ Jason Blakemore (DJ Trance) and this compilation specifically gathers a few very desirable gems from three different releases by them and places them here. Bassex Selections is an important window into the label's enduring legacy and snapshot of the west coast scene circa 1994.
Review: Veteran of the Frankfurt scene Frank Heinrich aka Reboot makes a surprising appearance on local underground imprint Pleasure Zone here with 'Bombons', a blissed-out and evocative minimal tech house journey that's strictly made for the afterhours slot, all the while retaining his idiosyncratic sound throughout. The sublime feelings continue over on the flip with the widescreen, steel drum-led melody on 'Tell Me' which goes deeper and triggers an even more emotional response. This is highly engineered microhouse by a modern master of the art.
Review: Italian artist Recut is back with a new four-track outing that comes steeped in the lovably mad energy of acid, the enduring rawness of the Chicago underground and the drum sounds of New York. He has been active since the 90s so has a great through-line to these foundational styles but makes them his own here. Interestingly he started producing with turntables and mixers after being inspired by DMC champion so brings a real live feel to his sounds. 'Narcotic Tango' is a full-throttle pumper, 'Acid Street' layers undulating 303 lines into silky and elastic drums and 'Jack O Acid' gets more intense and in your face. 'Feel The Heat' shuts down with some trippy synth colours.
Review: Red D - the production alias of We Play House founder Bert Van Naste - established the 'Red Basics' series five years ago, initially to pay tribute to "the music and people of Detroit". Four years on from the series' second instalment, Van Naste returns with three more raw, stripped-back jams that variously doff a cap to early Chicago house, the Motor City, and formative UK bleep techno. The Belgian DJ/producer begins with 'The J Principle', a bleeping and bass-heavy workout featuring a spoken word vocal paying tribute to Windy City house originator Jamie Principle, before reaching for acid style synth bass, sparkling keyboard stabs and vintage drum machine beats on 'Raw Shit'. Over on side B, Van Naste slams down the hypnotic, piano stab-sporting techno looper 'Troisentrois Groove'.
Review: Hungarian artist Reelow is back with a much sought-after new release, Reeborn, on his own Reecords label, and it is reeally good (see what we did there?). 'Toilet Secrets' (feat Anaisa) is twitchy, loopy, energy tech house brought to life by plenty of weird sound sources, then 'Bitchthatsnake (A_lways L_ittleb_tch A_nyways)' is a sinewy and drug-addled tech house cut for full-on dance floor freakouts. 'I'm With Them (feat Joe Harris)' rides on nice and bumping beats with zippy synth lines and 'Free Your Mind (feat Hana)' is a final party pumper with edgy vocal stabs and metallic drums making an indelible mark.
Review: For those of us who find solace in music, refuge often lies in its intricate corners. Reflex Blue returns with the second release on his personal imprint which will appeal to such people and offers his unique take on wonky house music. His The Twisted Maze EP features raccoon-inspired grooves and bleepy after-hours moments that offer an intimate look into Blue's creative mind. There are lithe tech pumpers like the opener, trippy workouts like 'Got D' Funk', deep and driving throwbacks like 'Freestyle Groove"' and 'Destination' shuts down with more futuristic tech excellence.
Review: We can't fault anyone for calling their EP Four Really Good Tracks just so long as it does indeed feature four really good tracks. This hand-stamped 12" from Terrazzo does just that with contributions from four different artists. Remotif's 'Ludovician' kicks off with a nice zoned-out tech roller for 4AM. Jay Gadian then steps up with 'Crisscrossing' which has a busier rhythm anymore searching synths smeared over the face of the groove. Reflex Blue's 'Mystic' is a busy workout with spiraling melodic refrains and a constant sense of cosmic takeoff. Wilt's 'Fractal Ceiling' then shuts down with acid laced deep techno.
Review: Constant Black is one of the numerous labels in UK artist Burnski's orbit. He's been a man on form on all fronts in recent years and here he snaps up Retrospect for a trio of super slick and funky minimal house cuts. 'Ay-up!' is a cheeky opener with subtle northern welcomes hidden in the mix as the lithe bass and 2-step tinged drums do their thang. It's reet good. 'Schneebly' gets more pacey and balmy, with silky and oily bass and kinetic drum work all underpinned by a sick bass tone. Last of all comes '4 U' which has something of an upright garage skip and downright irresistible groove. These are high functioning, charismatic cuts to pump up any floor.
Egotrip - "Dreamworld" (World Of Dreams mix) (7:25)
33 1/3 Queen - "Searchin'" (5:43)
Bobby Konders - "Let There Be House" (5:14)
Review: Boccaccio was one of Europe's most influential clubs back in the late 80s and early 90s. Based in rural Destelbergen, it was a place where new beat, acid, techno and house all collided, and Boccaccio Life 1987-1993 is a deep dive into the electrifying soundscapes of the time. It comes on Music Man Records and is a 40-track compilation that reclaims Boccaccio's legacy beyond the overly reductive new beat tag. Resident Olivier Pieters and club regular Stefaan Vandenberghe are behind it, and have split the full selection into four vinyl parts. Bobby Konders's 'Let There Be House' is the killer here, but all four cuts are deliciously dark and heads down club tackle from a golden era.
Review: The FUSE London crew are back everyone, look out! Bringing the sound of their legendary daytime raves to us again and getting straight down to business on Enzo Siragusa's third edition of 5 are label mainstays Rich NxT (with the rolling and adrenalised "Badass") and the always impressive OdD aka Damian Daley & Danny Dixon joined by newcomer Rossko (making his production debut) on the rolling hypnotism of "Jabba The Hut". On the flip is Moscow Records boss Archie Hamilton (another mainstay of the label) with the woozy and tripped out after hours deepness of "Cirrus" and the Deep End Soundsystem affiliated Sam Bellis with the gutsy acid driven "Solstrole".
Review: The Soco Audio label was a vital one for tech house lovers at the turn of the millennium and that is when genre pioneer Eddie Richards stepped up with this EP. It's one we have found while digging around in our warehouse and it features four superbly crisp and still-contemporary sounding cuts. 'd.comm' pairs snappy metallic hits and tightly programmed kicks with an expressive vocal stab then 'Xtrk gets more deep with wispy pads and a smoky late-night feel. 'Someday' is a more physical and jacked up groove but still one with a sleazy vocal element and last of all is a remix of 'Sinful Sadie' that is more weighty and dubby.
Helicopter (feat Terry Francis - Eddie Smooth Landing mix) (6:03)
In The Van (7:35)
In The Van (Fractured mix) (6:42)
Review: Repeat Records are currently embarking on a multi-part series of longtime DJ Eddie Richards' earliest tracks, and this second journey - that's right - follows up the first waxen time capsule to appear so far. Richards' behind-the-booth adventurousness is often credited as one of the instrumental factors in the spread of house music in the UK, and doesn't 'Time Travel' show it. Lesser known as a producer but still much respected in said niche, several choice slab-grooves from Richards' early noughts numbers are selected here: track two from 2002's 'The Dark' EP, 'Underskopje' from that same year's Kubrickian tech house hurler 'Open The Pod Door' EP, and a legitly deep cut from the AA2 side of Richards' Othersound debut 'Dope'. One for early tech house heads, when the genre was still innocent and real experts reigned supreme.
Review: A genuine UK acid house, techno and tech-house pioneer, 'Evil' Eddie Richards boasts a catalogue rich in rare, hard-to-find and overlooked gems. The ever on-point Repeat Records, who previously offered collections of rarities by Terry Farley, Jay Tripwire and others, have spotted this - hence this first instalment of what they promise will be a series of Richards retrospectives. There's much to enjoy within the eight tracks stretched across two slabs of wax, from the rolling, deep house influenced early tech-house excellence of 'Joetwo' and the bouncy brilliance of 'Open The Red Door', to the spacey smoothness of 'Old Klang Road', the immersive early morning hypnotism of 'Heat' and the head-nodding downtempo excellence of closing cut 'Madness'.
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